Celebrating Martha!

Martha Hill circa 1922

With my Juilliard professors Laura Glenn (Limon technique) Janet Soares (Dance composition) and Danny Lewis (Limon technique)

© Tony Powell. Mary Hinkson

To say that a quarter of  The Cathedral NYC‘s ballroom last night was occupied by living legends of the dance world is not an over statement. Each year around 200 dancers, choreographers, and educators gather to celebrate the life of pioneer in-the-field, Martha Hill. I have the great honor of being the official photographer of the Martha Hill Dance Award Gala and look forward to it each year with great anticipation.

© Tony Powell. Martha Hill Dance Fund President Vernon Scott

© Tony Powell. Dancer Dian Dong and Choreographer HT Chen

© Tony Powell. Choreographer Robert Garland and Ailey II director Sylvia Waters

© Tony Powell. Choreographer, dancer, and teacher Mary Anthony

© Tony Powell. Hannah Baumgartner and Henning Rubsam

Martha Hill is credited with singlehandedly uniting the chiefs of modern dance, during it’s infancy, and also for laying the groundwork that enabled the discipline to be studied, as a major, in colleges all across the country.

Tony Powell. Choreographer/Dancers Murray Louis and Beverly Blossom

© Tony Powell. Awardees Beverly Blossom, Hortense Zera, Jacqueline Green, and Virginia Johnson

I was very fortunate to have been one of the last students hand-picked by Martha to attend The Juilliard School - where she presided over the dance program for over 30 years. Well into her eighties at the time, Martha Hill was an inspiration like none other, full of energy and insight, wisdom, and compassion.

© Tony Powell

Ten years ago an award was created to celebrate her life which recognizes 3 individuals each year in 3 different categories of the life arc of a dancer: The Young Professional, The Mid-Career, and The Lifetime Achievement Awards. This year’s event was presided over by choreographer and dancer Murray Louis with awards going to Jacqueline Green, Virginia Johnson, and Beverly Blossom respectively.

© Tony Powell. Dance critic Jennifer Dunning

© Tony Powell. My Juilliard professors Jeanne Ruddy (Graham technique) and Linda Kent (Taylor technique)

© Tony Powell. Georgia Engel, Virginia Johnson, Elvi Moore

With my Juilliard classmates choreographer and dancer Rebecca Stenn on the left and author and dance educator Dr. Elizabeth McPherson (Beth just wrote the new book about Martha Hill)

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell. Ernesta Corvino

High Kicking at the Dance Awards II

Sona Kharatian and Jonathan Jordan © Tony Powell

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Sona Kharatian and Jonathan Jordan © Tony Powell

One of my favorite times of the year is when the entire DC dance community comes together to recognize and support each other’s efforts at the Metro DC Dance Awards. This year’s ceremony, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts’ Terrace Theater, was one of the most entertaining yet. We were all treated to a rare visit by “Martha Graham,” actually the NY-based female impersonator Richard Move, who, as the evening’s emcee, was able to channel Graham in a way that was both realistic and endearing.

Therrell Smith and Virginia Johnson © Tony Powell

Richard Move as Martha Graham © Tony Powell

Joy of Motion’s Youth Dance Ensemble © Tony Powell

Peter DiMuro © Tony Powell

Move’s devotion to Graham is apparent and his life’s work of imitation and total immersion has become an art form in and of itself. There were dance performances galore – scattered throughout the evening – beginning on the Millennium Stage at 6pm where the youth awards were given out, to the main event in the Terrace: Furia Flamenca, Joy of Motion Youth Dance Ensemble, ARKA Ballet, and Maryland Youth Ballet, were just a handful of the city’s brightest lights, from the local dance scene, to perform.

DC Cowboys © Tony Powell

Maryland Youth Ballet © Tony Powell

Juliana Calderon and Co. © Tony Powell

Septime Webre and Liz Lerman © Tony Powell

There was something for everyone – ballet, modern dance, flamenco, and even the dancing DC Cowboys!! I was overjoyed to see so many of my friends in one place and many of them winning awards: Septime Webre and the Washington Ballet for last season’s beautifully conceived, Celtic-inspired evening of ballet in the Eisenhower – Highland Fling (I went twice), Gesel Mason receiving the Pola Nirenska Award, my new friends Delphina Parenti and Jason Ignacio both receiving the award for Outstanding Individual Performance, Helen Hayes winning for Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education, and Brooke Kidd receiving the Kriegsman Award!

Alan Kriegsman, Andrea Snyder, Naima Prevots, Sali Ann Kriegsman

The climax of the evening’s honors was the  acceptance speech given by the internationally-renowned, Washington-trained prima ballerina and magazine editor Virginia Johnson, for her lifetime achievement in dance.  In accepting the Pola Nirenska Award, she stressed the importance of talking about dance to people who are not involved in the field, about engaging those that may otherwise not have access to the arts. A high point for me was having an opportunity to photograph Virginia with her first ballet teacher, 91 year-old Therrell Smith, who attended last night’s ceremony.

Helanius Wilkins, Helen Hayes, Gesel Mason © Tony Powell

After the tightly produced show we all went over to the Watergate’s 600 Restaurant to mingle the night away! Over 700 photos will soon be available for purchase and download.

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